List of mammals of Jordan
This list of mammals of Jordan comprises 70 mammal species recorded in Jordan, of which two are endangered, ten are vulnerable, and three are near threatened.
The following tags are used to highlight each species' conservation status as assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature:
EX | Extinct | No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. |
EW | Extinct in the wild | Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range. |
CR | Critically endangered | The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild. |
EN | Endangered | The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. |
VU | Vulnerable | The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. |
NT | Near threatened | The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future. |
LC | Least concern | There are no current identifiable risks to the species. |
DD | Data deficient | There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species. |
Some species were assessed using an earlier set of criteria. Species assessed using this system have the following instead of near threatened and least concern categories:
LR/cd | Lower risk/conservation dependent | Species which were the focus of conservation programmes and may have moved into a higher risk category if that programme was discontinued. |
LR/nt | Lower risk/near threatened | Species which are close to being classified as vulnerable but are not the subject of conservation programmes. |
LR/lc | Lower risk/least concern | Species for which there are no identifiable risks. |
Subclass: [Theria]
Infraclass: [Eutheria]
Order: [Hyracoidea] (hyraxes)
----The hyraxes are any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. About the size of a domestic cat, they are well-furred, with rounded bodies and a stumpy tail. They are native to Africa and the Middle East.
- *Family: Procaviidae
- **Genus: Procavia
- *** Cape hyrax, Procavia capensis LC
Order: [Sirenia] (manatees and dugongs)
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Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands. All four species are endangered.
- *Family: Dugongidae
- **Genus: Dugong
- *** Dugong, Dugong dugon VU
Order: [Rodent]ia (rodents)
Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40% of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be kept short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to.
- Suborder: Sciurognathi
- *Family: Sciuridae
- **Subfamily: Sciurinae
- ***Tribe: Sciurini
- ****Genus: Sciurus
- ***** Caucasian squirrel, Sciurus anomalus LR/nt
- *Family: Gliridae
- **Subfamily: Leithiinae
- ***Genus: Eliomys
- **** Asian garden dormouse, Eliomys melanurus LC
- *Family: Dipodidae
- **Subfamily: Allactaginae
- ***Genus: Allactaga
- **** Euphrates jerboa, Allactaga euphratica LR/nt
- *Family: Spalacidae
- **Subfamily: Spalacinae
- ***Genus: Nannospalax
- **** Palestine mole rat, Nannospalax ehrenbergi LC
- *Family: Cricetidae
- **Subfamily: Cricetinae
- ***Genus: Cricetulus
- **** Grey dwarf hamster, Cricetulus migratorius LR/nt
- **Subfamily: Arvicolinae
- ***Genus: Microtus
- **** Günther's vole, Microtus guentheri LR/lc
- *Family: Muridae
- **Subfamily: Deomyinae
- ***Genus: Acomys
- **** Cairo spiny mouse, Acomys cahirinus LC
- **** Golden spiny mouse, Acomys russatus LR/lc
- **Subfamily: Gerbillinae
- ***Genus: Gerbillus
- **** Anderson's gerbil, Gerbillus andersoni LR/lc
- **** Wagner's gerbil, Gerbillus dasyurus LR/lc
- **** Pygmy gerbil, Gerbillus henleyi LC
- **** Gerbillus nanus LC
- ***Genus: Meriones
- **** Sundevall's jird, Meriones crassus LC
- **** Libyan jird, Meriones libycus LC
- **** Tristram's jird, Meriones tristrami LR/lc
- ***Genus: Psammomys
- **** Sand rat, Psammomys obesus LC
- ***Genus: Sekeetamys
- **** Bushy-tailed jird, Sekeetamys calurus LC
- **Subfamily: Murinae
- ***Genus: Apodemus
- **** Broad-toothed field mouse, Apodemus mystacinus LR/lc
- ***Genus: Mus
- **** Macedonian mouse, Mus macedonicus LR/lc
Order: [Lagomorpha] (lagomorphs)
The lagomorphs comprise two families, Leporidae, and Ochotonidae. Though they can resemble rodents, and were classified as a superfamily in that order until the early 20th century, they have since been considered a separate order. They differ from rodents in a number of physical characteristics, such as having four incisors in the upper jaw rather than two.
- Family: Leporidae
- *Genus: Lepus
- ** Cape hare, Lepus capensis LR/lc
Order: [Erinaceomorpha] (hedgehogs and gymnures)
The order Erinaceomorpha contains a single family, Erinaceidae, which comprise the hedgehogs and gymnures. The hedgehogs are easily recognised by their spines while gymnures look more like large rats.
- Family: Erinaceidae
- *Subfamily: Erinaceinae
- **Genus: Hemiechinus
- *** Desert hedgehog, Hemiechinus aethiopicus LR/lc
Order: [Soricomorpha] (shrews, moles, and solenodons)
The "shrew-forms" are insectivorous mammals. The shrews and solenodons closely resemble mice while the moles are stout-bodied burrowers.
- Family: Soricidae
- *Subfamily: Crocidurinae
- **Genus: Crocidura
- *** Lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura suaveolens LR/lc
Order: [Chiroptera] (bats)
The bats' most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals capable of flight. Bat species account for about 20% of all mammals.
- Family: Vespertilionidae
- *Subfamily: Myotinae
- **Genus: Myotis
- *** Lesser mouse-eared bat, Myotis blythii LR/lc
- *** Long-fingered bat, Myotis capaccinii VU
- *** Geoffroy's bat, Myotis emarginatus VU
- *** Greater mouse-eared bat, Myotis myotis LR/nt
- *** Natterer's bat, Myotis nattereri LR/lc
- *Subfamily: Vespertilioninae
- **Genus: Eptesicus
- *** Botta's serotine, Eptesicus bottae LC
- **Genus: Hypsugo
- *** Desert pipistrelle, Hypsugo ariel DD
- **Genus: Otonycteris
- *** Desert long-eared bat, Otonycteris hemprichii LR/lc
- **Genus: Pipistrellus
- *** Kuhl's pipistrelle, Pipistrellus kuhlii LC
- **Genus: Plecotus
- *** Grey long-eared bat, Plecotus austriacus LR/lc
- *Subfamily: Miniopterinae
- **Genus: Miniopterus
- *** Schreibers' long-fingered bat, Miniopterus schreibersii LC
- Family: Rhinopomatidae
- *Genus: Rhinopoma
- ** Lesser mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma hardwickei LC
- ** Greater mouse-tailed bat, Rhinopoma microphyllum LC
- Family: Molossidae
- *Genus: Tadarida
- ** European free-tailed bat, Tadarida teniotis LR/lc
- Family: Emballonuridae
- *Genus: Taphozous
- ** Naked-rumped tomb bat, Taphozous nudiventris LC
- Family: Nycteridae
- *Genus: Nycteris
- ** Egyptian slit-faced bat, Nycteris thebaica LC
- Family: Rhinolophidae
- *Subfamily: Rhinolophinae
- **Genus: Rhinolophus
- *** Blasius's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus blasii NT
- *** Geoffroy's horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus clivosus LC
- *** Mediterranean horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus euryale VU
- *** Greater horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum LR/nt
- *** Lesser horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus hipposideros LC
Order: [Cetacea] (whales)
The order Cetacea includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. They are the mammals most fully adapted to aquatic life with a spindle-shaped nearly hairless body, protected by a thick layer of blubber, and forelimbs and tail modified to provide propulsion underwater.
- Suborder: Mysticeti
- *Family: Balaenopteridae
- **Subfamily: Balaenopterinae
- ***Genus: Balaenoptera
- **** Bryde's whale, Balaenoptera edeni DD
- **Subfamily: Megapterinae
- ***Genus: Megaptera
- **** Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae VU
- Suborder: Odontoceti
- *Superfamily: Platanistoidea
- **Family: Delphinidae
- ***Genus: Tursiops
- **** Common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatusDD
- **** Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops aduncus DD
- ***Genus: Stenella
- **** Pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuata LR/cd
- **** Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris DD
- ***Genus: Grampus
- **** Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus DD
- ***Genus: Pseudorca
- **** False killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens EN
Order: [Carnivora] (carnivorans)
There are over 260 species of carnivorans, the majority of which feed primarily on meat. They have a characteristic skull shape and dentition.
- Suborder: Feliformia
- *Family: Felidae
- **Subfamily: Felinae
- ***Genus: Acinonyx
- **** Asiatic cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus venaticus CR - extirpated
- ***Genus: Caracal
- **** Caracal, Caracal caracal LC
- ***Genus: Felis
- **** Jungle cat, Felis chaus LC
- **** Arabian sand cat, Felis margarita harrisoni
- **** African wildcat, Felis lybica LC
- **Subfamily: Pantherinae
- ***Genus: Panthera
- **** Arabian leopard, Panthera pardus nimr CR - regionally extinct
- *Family: Herpestidae
- **Genus: Herpestes
- *** Egyptian mongoose, Herpestes ichneumon LR/lc
- *Family: Hyaenidae
- **Genus: Hyaena
- *** Striped hyena, Hyaena hyaena LR/nt
- Suborder: Caniformia
- *Family: Canidae
- **Genus: Vulpes
- *** Blanford's fox, Vulpes cana VU
- *** Rueppell's fox, Vulpes rueppelli DD
- *** Arabian red fox, Vulpes vulpes LC
- **Genus: Canis
- *** Syrian jackal, Canis aureus syriacus LC
- *** Arabian wolf, Canis lupus arabs LC
- *Family: Mustelidae
- **Genus: Mustela
- *** Least weasel, Mustela nivalis LR/lc
- **Genus: Mellivora
- *** Ratel, Mellivora capensis LR/lc
- **Genus: Meles
- *** Eurasian badger, Meles meles LR/lc
- **Genus: Lutra
- *** European otter, Lutra lutra NT
Order: [Perissodactyla] (odd-toed ungulates)
The odd-toed ungulates are browsing and grazing mammals. They are usually large to very large, and have relatively simple stomachs and a large middle toe.
- Family: Equidae
- *Genus: Equus
- ** Syrian wild ass, Equus hemionus hemippus EX
Order: [Artiodactyla] (even-toed ungulates)
The even-toed ungulates are ungulates whose weight is borne about equally by the third and fourth toes, rather than mostly or entirely by the third as in perissodactyls. There are about 220 artiodactyl species, including many that are of great economic importance to humans.
- Family: Suidae
- *Genus: Sus
- ** Wild boar, Sus scrofa EX
- Family: Cervidae
- *Subfamily: Cervinae
- **Genus: Dama
- *** Persian fallow deer, Dama dama mesopotamica EN
- **Genus: Capreolus
- *** Roe deer, Capreolus capreolus LR/lc
- Family: Bovidae
- *Subfamily: Antilopinae
- **Genus: Gazella
- *** Dorcas gazelle, Gazella dorcas VU
- *** Mountain gazelle, Gazella gazella VU
- *** Goitered gazelle, Gazella subgutturosa VU
- *Subfamily: Caprinae
- **Genus: Capra
- *** Nubian ibex, Capra nubiana EN
- *Subfamily: Hippotraginae
- **Genus: Oryx
- *** Arabian oryx, Oryx leucoryx EN